Brake-releaser.



NoQ 7|4,796. Patented Dec. 2, I902.

' E. N. HALSTEAD,

BBAKE- RELEASER. (Applicatiofi filed July 8,-190'2. (No model.)

2 shim-s eet I,-

a; 714,796; ,Paterited Dec. 2,1902.

E. n. l-I ALS.TEAD.

BRAKE RELEASEB. A filiwcion am July 5, 1902.)

' 2 sheetssheet 2.

THE Norms warms (10.. unmau'mo wnsu Mira; S rains .ATENT FICE ELLIOTT N.HALSTEAD, OF HUNTERS SPRINGS, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOISAAC N. BALLARD, OF GREENVILLE, WEST VIRGINIA.

BRAKE-QRELEASER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 7 14, 796, datedDecember 2, 1902.

Application filed July 3, 1902. Serial No. 114,819. (No model.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELLIOTT N. HALSTEAD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hunters Springs, in the county of Monroe and State of WestVirginia, have invented a new and useful Brake-Releaser, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The invention relates to a brake-releaser. The object of the presentinvention is to provide a simple,inexpensive, and efficient deviceadapted to be readily applied to vehicle-brakes and capable of holdingthe brakeshoes away from thewheels when the brake is not applied toprevent the accumulation of mud on the brake-shoes, which often resultswhen the brake-shoes lie close to the wheels and which increases thelabor of pulling a vehicle.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claim hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is aplan View of a portion of a running-gearprovided with a brake-releaser constructed in accordance with thisinvention. Fig. 2 is a detail view of one of the coiled springs,illustrating the manner of attaching the same to the running-gear and tothe brake-shaft. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the outer end of the spring,showing the notches which are engaged by the staplesor other fasteningdevices. Fig. 4 is aperspec A tive view of a portion of a running-gearpro vided with a brake-releasin g device constructed in accordance withthis invention.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

l designates a brake-shaft journaled in suitable bearings 2 of the rearhounds and provided at its ends with the usual crank-arms 3 and havingan upright arm l. The crankarms at the ends of the transverse brakeshaftare provided with suitable brake-shoes 5, which are thrown intoengagement with the hind wheels 6 when the arm 4 is swung forward by thebrake-operating mechanism. (Not shown.)

In order to hold the brake-shoes normally off the wheels to prevent mudfrom accumu- 'lating on them, coiled springs 7 are employed.

One or two coiled springs may" be used, and each coiled spring has itsouter end 8 enlarged and flattened and provided with opposite notches 9,which are adapted to be engaged by staples 10 for securing the outer endof the spring to the rear hound 11. The inner end 12 of the spring isbent at an angle and arranged longitudinally of the brake- 6o shaft,being passed through a perforation of an adjustable disk 13. The end 12of the spring is provided at one face of the disk with a shoulder 14,and it is threaded at 15 at the other face of the disk for the receptionof a nut 16. By this construction the spring is securely attached to thedisk, which is capable of rotation to arrange the spring at the desiredtension. The diskis provided with a central opening for the reception ofthe 7c shaft, and it is secured at the desired adjustment by means of aset-screw 17, arranged in a threaded perforation of the disk andengaging the shaft. The said screw is provided at its outer end with asuitable head and is adapted to be operated by a .wrenchor other tool.The springs, which may be arranged in suitable casings, are locatedbetween the rear bounds and the reach and will be protected by the same.

The springs are adapted to hold the brakeshoes away from the hind wheelsto prevent the accumulation of mud on the brake-shoes, and by thisconstruction the upright arm of the brake-shaft may be connected withthe operating-lever by means of a chain or any other suitableconnection, a rod not being necessary, as is the case with the ordinaryvehicle-brake where the operating-lever is employed for holding thebrake shoes oif the wheels. This construction will also facilitate theremoval of a wagon-body from its runninggear, as a hook may be employedfor engaging the upright arm of the brake-shaft instead of the bolt andnut which are used for con- 5 necting a rod with the arm of thebrake-shaft.

It will be seen that the device is exceedingly simple and inexpensive inconstruction, that it is adapted to be readily applied to an ordinaryvehicle-brake, and that it will nor- 10o mally hold the brake-shoes OKthe wheels and enable a flexible connection, such as .a chain,

to be employed for connecting the brake-operating lever with the arm ofthe rock-shaft. It will also be seen that when the upright arm of therock-shaft is swung forward in applying the brake the springs will beplaced under tension and will automatically throw the brake-shoes ofithewheels as soon as they are free to operate.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings is illustrated a slight modification of theinvention, in which the coiled springs 18 are arranged on a rockshaft19, journaled in suitable bearings 20 of the rear hounds 21 and providedwith depending arms 22. The depending arms 22 are connected by links orrods 23 with a transverse brake-beam 24:, provided at its ends withsuitable brake-shoes and suspended from a transverse bar 25 by shortchains or flexible connections 26, preferably consisting of a link and apair of eyebolts, as shown; but any other connecting device may beemployed. The springs 18 are constructed the same as those heretoforedescribed, and the rock-shaft 19 is provided with an upwardly-extendingarm 27, secured to a chain 28. The chain 28 terminates in a book 29 andis designed to be connected with operating mechanism. The

springs, which are made right and left, as shown, may be provided attheir outer enlarged ends with perforations for enabling them to bebolted to the hounds in addition to being secured by the staples. Whenthe brake-operating mechanism is released, the springs 18 operatesimilar to those heretofore described and throw the brake-shoes off thewheels.

The construction shown in Fig. 1 is adapted for light vehicles, and thearrangement illustrated in Fig.4 is especially designed for heavy Iwagons and similar vehicles.

What I claim is In a device of the class described the combination witha running-gear, of a brake having a rock-shaft mounted on the rearhounds of the ru nning-gear and extending across the same, a coiledspring arranged on the rockshaft between the reach and one of the rearhounds and having extended inner and outer ends, the inner end beingdisposed longitudinally of the spring and provided at the inner portionwith a shoulder or enlargement 14.- and having the outer portionthreaded, and the outer end of the spring being enlarged and arranged onone of the faces of the adjacent hound and provided with oppositenotches, an approximately U-shaped fastening device mounted on the saidhound and embracing the enlarged end of the spring and interlocked withthe notches thereof, a block arranged on the rock-shaft at the inner endof the spring and having a transverse perforation receiving the innerextension, a clamp securely mounted on the block and engaging the shaftto secure the block to the same, and a nut engaging the threaded portionof the inner extension of the spring, substantially as described. Intestimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed mysignature in the presence of two witnesses.

ELLIOTT N. HALSTEAD.

Witnesses:

R. H. ARNOTT, S. M. MANN.

